Search:

Home | Dice Games | Dice Control


Natural Alternatives To Using Pesticides On Your Garden

By: Irwin Brewington

When correct production methods are used in concert with good pest control practices, you can minimize the losses that pests create every year significantly. If you ensure that your plants have been properly watered, fertilized and cultivated, you will also work toward growing plants that are more pest resistant than plants that are neglected or have received poor care. The best way to get started toward growing a pest-free garden is to purchase plants that are known to be resistant to many common pests.

There are varieties available that are resistant to some common types of plant diseases, although they are not usually resistant to insects. One way to prevent pests is to only grow plants from newly purchased seeds, don't save old seeds to be re-used in a new garden. Most diseases will take root in the seeds. You are much better off buying seed when you need it from someone that you know has good disease-free seed stocks. When you are transplanting young plants, take the time to choose seedling that are currently in excellent health. If your seedlings are too weak, young or even too old, it is very likely that they will not survive the shock of the transplant, making them more susceptible to some pests.

Every year, you should rotate the vegetables in your garden so that you are not growing the same things in the same spots year after year. This is a very effective and simple way of avoiding diseases that are lying dormant in the soil. Corn is excellent as a crop that can be alternated. There is usually a pattern that you follow with crop rotation which goes in four year cycles, starting with corn and then following this with cole crops such as greens and cabbage, next you plant solanaceous plants like tomatoes and peppers, and then lastly you plant legumes like peas, then start again with corn.

Some ways to use sanitation to keep pests out of your garden is to keep your garden away from volunteer plants, and avoid infested crop debris or cull piles. Keeping residue to use as mulch is a bad habit, since a number of pests live in vegetable plant residue. Use leaves, straw, or other materials which did not come from your garden instead. Mulch can, however, have its own drawbacks. Mulch can serve as a home for certain pests, which introduces them to your plants unseen.

Aside from keeping pests at bay, keeping your garden clean will help to reduce the chance for plant viruses to spread. Always make sure to work with clean hands when you are handling the plants, such as during transplantation or pruning. This is especially important if you're a smoker, because some quite deadly plant viruses actually originate in tobacco.

Weeds also permit garden pests to hide and launch attacks. While it may seem good that the pests are attacking the weeds instead of your plants, it is unhealthy for your garden to harbor these pests or allow weeds to spread. There are many potentially nasty things that can dwell in weeds and damage your plants including aphids, beetles, leafhoppers, many other insects, nematodes, and mites. Make especially certain that Johnson grass, which is a perennial weed that usually hides insects, is eliminated; you must endeavor to maintain a weed free area all around your garden.

Controlling the level of moisture is also a critical element in maintaining a garden which is pest free. The best disease control strategy is to water only early in the day. Watering in the morning prevents the growth of fungus, eliminating the need to use a fungicide. Fungus thrives in warm and wet environments, so if you water your plant at night time it will remain wet for longer and be at a higher risk for contamination.

Adding a shield or some type of pest-proof barrier around your transplants can help keep them safe from some insects. There are many different household materials you can use for this like milk jugs, cardboard or even extra shingles which you can put a few inches into the earth to protect the plant. This kind of wall can keep your peppers and tomatoes safe from grubs, cutworms, wire worms, and other types of creatures which live underground. Although gardeners must be careful about artificially introducing a predator into their garden, you may employ biological controls, such as utilizing one predator insect against a vegetable consuming insect. It's much better to encourage natural predators, such as spiders, ground beetles, syrphid flies, lacewings, ladybugs, and praying mantises, to take up residence in the garden.

There of course may be situations where non-chemical methods do not work for you and you should then consider pesticides, but this should be the last resort for you. When using chemicals, read the label thoroughly and follow the directions exactly. If the package tells you to wait a certain amount of time after treatment before harvesting, make sure you follow that advice since excessive chemical will ruin the vegetables.

Article Source: http://www.gambling-articles.org

You can get the best pest Control Services information by visiting this website.To understand more about local pest control australia visit this resource.

Please Rate this Article

 

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Dice Control Articles Via RSS!

Powered by Article Dashboard